WFSS Blog

WFSS sent an operations team to Bangkok in September to visit the factory where our new drilling rig, aka our “Iron Giraffe,” is being built.

Country Director Ater Akol Thiep, US Operations Support Coordinator Gary Prok, Assistant Driller David Tombe Pitia and Akoon Kuol Mawien, Mechanic in Training, visited the factory and headquarters of PAT Drilling in Bangkok, Thailand. The team was very pleased with all that they saw and learned and emphasized the value of the on-going relationship with a vendor that has extensive experience in drilling in general, and also with drilling in South Sudan.

The team met with PAT engineers and toured the manufacturing facility. They received additional hands-on training with various aspects of drilling, including use of compressor, mud pump assembly and hammer drilling. They also went to the field with the same model rig we are buying to see the rig in action and did were able to drill in the field as well.

“As a result of this visit the WFSS team will be implementing some process changes in our efforts to be continuously improving all that we do,” said WFSS Operations Support Coordinator Gary Prok. “Purchasing this new rig will help us improve the work we are doing in South Sudan, and support our goals of continuous improvement in South Sudan.”

The team looks forward to taking possession of the new rig in Wau, South Sudan, by the end of November, in time for the 2018-19 season.

WFSS thanks all of our sponsors, including the hundreds of schools, and thousands of students, who helped raise funds for our “Iron Giraffe” through the WFSS Iron Giraffe Challenge.